Strong As Death Is Love

Name: Strong As Death Is Love
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SKU: 9780393352252
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The Song of Songs, Ruth, Esther, Jonah, and Daniel, A Translation with Commentary

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Summary

Strong As Death Is Love explores a selection of Late Biblical books—The Song of Songs, Ruth, Esther, Jonah, and Daniel—presenting them as innovative literary works full of human drama and emotional depth. From the sensuous, secular love poems of The Song of Songs to the heroic loyalty of Ruth, the farcical triumph of Esther, the apocalyptic visions of Daniel, and the enigmatic tale of Jonah, these stories offer a rich tapestry of ancient narrative that challenges traditional religious expectations.
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Format: Paperback / softback

$51⁰⁰

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Strong As Death Is Love

$51⁰⁰

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for readers interested in religious scholarship, biblical literature as poetry, and those who appreciate literary analysis that reveals new dimensions in ancient texts. It suits both academic and general readers drawn to spirituality and the human stories within scripture.

An award-winning translation brings new immediacy to these beloved books of the Bible. Read them for the first time, again.

Description

The Song of Songs; Ruth; Esther; Jonah; and Daniel offer readers a range of pleasures not usually associated with the Bible. As distant in time from the Five Books of Moses as Updike is from Shakespeare, these Late Biblical books are innovative, entertaining literary works.

Women often stand centre stage. The Song of Songs is a celebration of young love, frankly sensuous, with no reference to God or covenant. It offers some of the most beautiful love poems of the ancient world. The story of Queen Esther's shrewd triumph is also a secular entertainment, with clear traces of farce and sly sexual comedy.

The character of Ruth embodies the virtues of loyalty, love, and charity in a harmonious world. Enigma replaces harmony in Daniel's feverish night dreams. The apocalyptic strangeness of Daniel echoes in works from the New Testament's Book of Revelations to the lyrics of Bob Dylan.

And Jonah, the tale of a giant fish who, on God's command, swallows the prophet and imprisons him in his dark wet innards for three days, ends with a question that lingers, unanswered, leaving the reader to ponder the many limitations of humankind.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critics praise this work for presenting these biblical books as captivating literature. The New Statesman highlights its range from eroticism to the surreal. The Irish Times, through Eavan Boland, commends the balance of translation, explanation, and commentary, making scholarly adventure accessible. The Catholic Herald recognises Robert Alter's translation as a major literary and religious achievement, enriching the Old Testament with poetry and insight.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780393352252

Publisher: WW Norton & Co

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 08 February 2016

Country: United States

Imprint: WW Norton & Co

Contributors:

Translated by Robert Alter

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 211.0mm

Weight: 259g

Pages: 256

Collections

Non-Fiction Religion & Spirituality

About the Author

Robert Alter's translation of the Hebrew Bible, the magnificent capstone to a lifetime of distinguished scholarly work, has won the PEN Center Literary Award for Translation. His immense achievements in scholarship ranging from the eighteenth-century European novel to contemporary Hebrew and American literature earned Alter the Robert Kirsch Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Los Angeles Times. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society, Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley.